Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 454

“No need.”

A cold male voice cut through the morning bustle.

Everyone in the foyer looked up. Sylas, dressed in a simple pair of sweatpants and a faded T-shirt, was descending the stairs, his presence commanding despite the casual clothes. Where loungewear might have softened someone else’s edges, on Sylas it only accentuated his lazy arrogance, doing nothing to dim the air of danger that seemed to hang about him.

His mother’s eyes narrowed. “Sylas, you came back to the family estate yesterday and went straight to bed. Have you forgotten all the basic manners? The first thing you should do after coming home is greet your grandfather.”

Sylas glanced at her with a trace of indifference. “Grandpa doesn’t mind. It doesn’t matter when I see him.”

Though he faced his mother, his gaze drifted toward Sallie, cool and assessing, a warning glint in his eyes.

Standing just behind her mother, Sallie swallowed involuntarily, her hand tightening at her side.

“Don’t think that just because your grandfather dotes on you, you can do whatever you want,” her mother snapped, her tone sharp.

“Mom, let’s just go have breakfast, okay? We shouldn’t keep Grandpa waiting,” Sallie interjected, brushing off her anxiety and slipping an arm through her mother’s.

Sylas watched the gesture with a faint, mocking smile, then shrugged and strode past them toward the dining room.

Grace—Sylas’s mother—watched her son’s retreating back with a long, weary sigh.

She patted Sallie’s hand affectionately. “At least you have some sense, dear. I really don’t know what good it does him, staying in Quinborough all this time. As if the Cunningham family would ever let some ordinary girl from that little town marry in.”

“I heard the one Sylas brought back this time is from Stormhaven,” Sallie replied, her voice gentle and demure.

“Stormhaven?” Grace’s frown deepened. “Where is that supposed to be?”

Her irritation mounted. “I told him from the start I didn’t want him moving to Quinborough. Now look—he just brings anyone home! Don’t say I didn’t warn you; if that girl from the sticks upsets your grandfather, he’ll toss her out without a second thought.”

As her mother raged, Sallie’s eyes shimmered with barely concealed anticipation.

She squeezed her mother’s arm, feigning reassurance. “Mom, Grandpa adores Sylas. He’d never throw him out. And even if something happens, I’ll be right here with you.”

Grace shot her a glance. “You’ll have to get married someday yourself, Sallie. I’d better spend more time talking sense into your brother.”

As she looked away, her eyes flicked to Sylas, seated in the place of honor—closer to their grandfather than any of the other cousins or aunts and uncles. It was a privilege reserved for him alone, a mark of their grandfather’s unmistakable favoritism.

Her eyes darkened for a moment before she composed herself and chose a seat as near as she could.

“Sylas, you finally remembered to come home?” the old man teased, his voice warm, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

“Wouldn’t be here if the family hadn’t been so insistent,” Sylas replied, making no attempt to hide his reluctance.

“Insistent? Who was pestering you? You’re not a child anymore. It’s good you’ve finally taken some initiative and found someone you like. But if anyone’s scaring off my future granddaughter-in-law, I’ll have words with them!”

The old man’s expression soured, and he rapped his fork sharply against the table.

Sylas just shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Their grandfather’s sharp gaze swept the room, landing on each family member in turn, a hint of reproach in his eyes.

Grace pursed her lips, then forced a smile. “Dad, kids will be kids. No need for you to join in on their nonsense.”